Everything I Own
by Aynslesa
Summary: A Zell/Quistis songfic. Reviews welcome.


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EVERYTHING I OWN

__

You sheltered me from harm

You kept me warm

You kept me warm

And you gave my life to me

You set me free

You set me free

Zell drummed his fingers against the table as he looked across the cafeteria. A casual observer would've thought he was just bummed out about missing the hot dogs again that day. But at that moment, an entire plate of hot dogs wouldn't have changed his mood. He was feeling very depressed, which was a feeling that he didn't normally feel. 

__

The finest years I ever knew

For all the years I had with you

Just a year earlier, he had found himself caught up in a battle where the only people he could really count on had been a silent, pessimistic SeeD; an overly cheerful transfer from Trabia; the rebellious daughter of a Galbadian general; a womanizing cowboy; and a one-time Instructor who'd been a SeeD since she was in her early teens. He'd known Squall and Quistis since he had started at Balamb Garden – he knew what to expect from them. 

The one thing he hadn't counted on was developing a crush on Quistis Trepe. 

__

And I would give everything I own

I'd give up my life

My heart, my home

I would give everything I own

Just to have you

Back again

Oh, who are you kidding? his conscience taunted. _You've been crushing on her since you came to Garden – this wasn't just something that happened in the last year. You just won't admit it. _

Shut up, he told his conscience. _What do you know?_

You're only proving my hypothesis.

Since when did you become such an intellectual? Zell turned up the volume on his MD player (A/N: Music Disk Player) and tuned out the annoyingly accurate voice. 

__

You taught me how to learn

Oh, what a time

Oh, what a time

You never said too much 

But still you showed me the way

And I knew from watching you

On the other side of the cafeteria, he could see Quistis holding a conversation with Rinoa and Selphie. As he watched, she burst out laughing at something Selphie had just said. God, she was pretty when she laughed. She really was. _And now it's official – Zell Dincht has become a candidate for that little group of worshippers known at the Trepies._ _Get a grip, Z.D!_

He mentally flipped off the little voice. 

__

Nobody else could ever know

The part of me that can't let go

A large hat landed on his head, and he was forced to look up as Irvine took the seat next to him. The cowboy retrieved his hat and yanked Zell's headphones off. "I've bee standing behind you for the past ten minutes," he said. "I was wondering if I was going to have to start dangling my lunch in front of you to get your attention."

Zell shrugged, not really caring if Irvine had been offended by his lack of paying attention. He was more concerned about the fact that Squall was now sitting across from him, blocking his view of _her_. "Are you okay, Zell?" Squall asked in a rare moment of concern. 

"Chicken-wuss is probably just missing his hot dogs," Seifer said from the other end of the table. Squall and Irvine gave him the patented Glare O' Doom™ and he immediately shut-up. 

__

And I would give everything I own

I'd give up my life

My heart, my home

I would give everything I own

Just to have you

Back again

"I'm fine," Zell mumbled. He could see Quistis now – he could see her get up and start heading over to their table. Apparently, Rinoa and Selphie had just spotted Squall and Irvine . . . oh, he couldn't take it anymore. _You really _are_ a wuss_, his psychological tormentor exclaimed. "Excuse me, guys. I'm going for a walk."

"Hey, where's Zell going?" Quistis asked as he walked off. 

"For a walk," Squall replied. 

"Is he actually skipping lunch?" Seifer and Selphie exclaimed simultaneously, and then glared at each other at the exact same moment. 

"Oh," Quistis said quietly, sliding into another seat. She looked vaguely disappointed.

__

Is there someone you know

Loving them so

And taking it all for granted?

You may lose them one day

Someone takes them away

And they don't hear the words 

You long to say

I want to go hit something, Zell thought.

__

Oh, yeah, that_ will really do some good. _

Do you ever shut up?

Not when you're being an idiot.

You're beginning to sound a lot like Seifer.

And don't insult me.

Leave me alone.

Sure thing. Just unscrew your head and I won't bother you anymore. Face it, Lovesick, I'm not going to go away until you get your priorities straight and confess to Miss Trepe about how your madly, passionately in love with her and can't think about anything else when she's around, and when she's not_ around._

And I would give everything I own

I'd give up my life

My heart, my home

I would give everything I own

Just to have you 

Back again

Zell shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. "Then I guess you're going to be around for awhile."

__

Just to have you

Back again

'Final Fantasy VIII' © Squaresoft 

'_Everything I Own_' © *NSYNC


End file.
